


six point one

by mulkki



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: Gen, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-28
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-04-01 17:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4028344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mulkki/pseuds/mulkki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lemrina, after the war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	six point one

Earth is heavy.

It’s the first thought that drags through her bones as she lands, shuttle touching down on a blue planet that has, in her opinion, been fought over for far more than it is worth. She still can’t understand the desire--blue as the sky may be, and vast as the waters may be, this planet is heavy and overflowing with gravity and wreckage and life and just far, far too _much_. It teems with luxury: water so common that people step in it without a second thought, air so rich it makes her lightheaded when she breathes, and so much light and color abound that it blinds her.

She stays indoors for two weeks.

  


\-------------

  


“I was hoping, that you’d come…”

She doesn’t know why she bothered to come. Her identity and status are still unknown to many, and frankly, it doesn’t matter. Her dear sister, standing in front of her, has just as much royal blood in her--and she’s announced to both worlds that she’d share those privileges. The secrets of Aldnoah are being exposed, one by one, through open and shared research--opposition may exist, but no one needs another princess(‘s activation factor) now.

She smiles instead, mirroring her sister. “Of course I would, dear sister.”

The First Princess--no, _Empress_ now--deigns to kneel in front of her, clasping Lemrina’s hands on her lap. She still doesn’t understand how her eyes can alight with _genuine_ joy and gratitude at Lemrina’s presence. “I’m so glad.”

It’s not like she has anywhere else to go. And her sister is the only one who would take care of her, the only one foolishly kind enough to look after a crippled girl not even her own grandfather could bother to remember.

She squeezes her hand and puts on what is probably a smile. “We’re sisters, after all.”

  


\----------------

  


“There’s someone I want you to meet.”

She can’t imagine there’s anyone else to meet anymore: she’s been introduced to the new Emperor, the staff assigned to her (all new), too many Terrans to count or bother with, and the boy who piloted the orange kataphrakt. That introduction she definitely could have done without.

“Who is it now? Another one of your Terran friends? I thought I’d already met the most important one from this war.”

Silence hangs in the air for a bit, both sides taken slightly aback by the sudden bite in her words. Lemrina opens her mouth to offer up some apology or excuse. but is stopped by Asseylum speaking first.

“No, this person is different.” Her necklace clinks gently as she shakes her head, and Lemrina can’t help but notice a new addition to the constellation: a blue, marbled sphere. She smiles at her, eyes shining like her new necklace. “He’ll be coming to help you.”

“With what?” The question escapes her before she realizes. What is she supposed to be getting help with, she wonders.

Asseylum Vers Allusia continues to smile that radiant smile, giving Lemrina’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“You’ll see.”

  


\-------------

  


The doctor hums while he works.

It isn’t unpleasant--his voice is soft and unobtrusive, and there’s something warm about how it fills the room and sends the cold smell of disinfectant away.

It just isn’t what she’s used to. She doesn’t remember the last time she heard music in Vers, if she had heard any at all.

“Okay, Princess, I’ll be putting the helmet on now. Let me know if the images don’t load?”

Lemrina obediently dips her head as Dr. Yagarai places a half-helmet, half-visual… _item_ on her head. It’s been weeks since they’ve started this strange arrangement, and Lemrina doesn’t know where this is going--but there’s something about this humming Terran physician whose efforts and outdated 3D imagery software she’s willing to humor.

Besides, these visits give her something to do other than stay shut inside somewhere to the back of her sister’s residence.

She opens her eyes, and prepares to greet the moving shapes--somewhere in the background Dr. Yagarai’s voice fades as he mentions something about a new sequence today, something to do with her own pa--

  


\---------------

  


“I really think we’re making progress here, Princess.”

Lemrina stares at her legs, hanging limp from the edge of the cot; they’re still shaking from the day’s efforts, a simple few steps from one end of the exercise bars to the other. Things even babies have no difficulty with, yet here she was, months after starting and still shaky and sweaty from the exertion.

“If it weren’t you telling me that, Dr. Yagarai, I don’t think I’d believe you.”

Dr. Yagarai chuckles at that, a soft noise without any malice. “Well, I’m very honored that you’d believe my words.” He jots down some notes on a clipboard. “Though you should really give yourself some credit, physical therapy after years of nontreatment isn’t easy on anyone.”

“So you think I’m curable.”

“I’d say you’re already healing.”

Lemrina laughs at that, a single sharp bark. “Did you know? All the finest doctors in the Vers Empire tried for years. Yet here you are, getting me farther than any of the others had.”

Dr. Yagarai smiles, a little sadly at that. He reaches to gently pat her head.

“To quote an old famous scientist, I’ve certainly ridden on the backs of giants to get here.” He stops, cocking his head and pondering his words. “Or perhaps I should say I’ve dissected a giant?” He glances over at a photo, a group shot of the Deucalion members; the doctor is standing next to a gruff man, one who she may have met before. “I certainly didn’t get this therapy program to this point by myself.”

“...So, someone else used this therapy program before me?”

“Yep.” He makes some final notes to the clipboard and sets it down. “Even had the nerve to complain about the graphics.”

Lemrina can’t help but chuckle at that.

“Those giants you mentioned… what did they teach you?”

Dr.Yagarai slides a couple x-ray slides into the lightbox. “Sometimes the root of a problem isn’t always physically visible.”

  


\-------------

  


She’s never felt the water between her toes before.

Nor sand, for that matter.

There are also clumps of large leafy things that snake around her ankles, threatening to pull her in.

Her eyes blur, and there’s a taste of salt in her mouth that probably has to do with the seawater all around her.

  


\----------------------

  


“There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Lemrina turns from the bookcase. She can reach up to the third shelf now on her own, somehow--she can’t stay standing for long, but the small victory is still a victory, especially after years of effort. 

She softly sinks back into her chair--any conversation with this man is bound to be strange, especially considering his visit is out of place to begin with. It’s best to be caught not off-guard.

“So, Kaizuka Inaho. Who is this person? Another doctor?”

Kaizuka shakes his head.

“You’ll see.”

  


\---------------

  


She sees, all right.

She sees, but doesn’t believe what she’s seeing.

Her back leaves her chair without a second thought and doesn’t register the shock on the other’s face until she trips into his chest, unable to control her movement. They sink into the ground, him half-supporting her, her half-supporting him.

They’re speechless for a while, looking up and down at each other while searching for words but unable to find a place to start. They’re both different now: he’s gotten thin and frail and his hair has grown a bit, but there’s a different kind of light in his eyes she hasn’t seen before. Likewise, he seems to be at a loss at Lemrina--she’s grown stronger, there is color in her expression now, and most of all--

“--We… we’re not in space…”

Lemrina laughs, chuckles changing to sobs halfway through. She reaches for his face, bringing him to eye level--just to make sure he’s really here, here in front of her, in her reach.

“No, no we’re not.”

She embraces him tightly, tears freely spilling out.

“We’re not in space anymore.”

**Author's Note:**

> title: 6.1 = the difference between 9.8 (gravity on earth) minus 3.7 (gravity on mars)
> 
> also i'm gonna regret this once i've gotten some sleep but i just wanna say i hate this series for still having its death grip on me, just let me goooooo
> 
> (I love you lemhime)


End file.
